Farm-fence



(NOModeL) T. W. OWENS.

Farm Fence.

No. 232,750. Patented Sept. 28,1880.

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. to the foundation-bar,

Granville, in the county of Licking UNITED STATES ATnNT JFJFICEO THOMASWV. OWENS, OF GRANVILLE, OHIO.

FARM- FENCE.

SIE'E(LIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,750, dated September 28, 1880. Application filed August 21, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W.

and State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Farm-Fences and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a panel of the fence set up, one end having a diagonal brace thrown back. Fig. 2 is asection on line 00 w of Fig. 1.

The object of my invention is to provide a fence wherein old rails in use in worm-fences may be utilized to make straight and secure fences. The rails being laid in a straight line make a much more extensive fence than when laid in the zigzag way.

The invention consists in the details of construction of a peculiar support which sustains the ends of the rails, and which is provided with a foundation-bar and diagonal braces looped together at the top, so that one can be laid back while the rails are being placed in the support, and then the laid-over brace is brought across the top rails and down where it is fastened. In this operation the top rails are crimped or squeezed between the diagonal braces and a pair of short cross-bars supported by vertical posts, between which lie the rails.

In order that those skilled in the art may make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, Fig. 2 illustrates the fence-support, which is composed of a foundation-bar, A, which rests on the ground, and from its center rise two vertical posts, D D, arranged sufficiently far apart to receive between them the ends of the rails B B, and having their upper ends clasped by a pair of short cross-bars, E E, the ends of said crossbars being cut diagonally, as shown, to conform to the direction of the diagonal braces F F. These braces are looped together at their upper ends by a wire or other loop, a, so they may turn freely one upon the other, and their ends are secured, as shown, to the OWENS, of

[foundation-bar A, and they lie between the ends of the cross-bars E E.

It is evident that the braces may be secured by a bolt or rivet without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will be observed that the space between the diagonal braces and the cross-bars E is in the shape of an isosceles triangle, and that in this space are the ends of two rails laid side by side, so that they shall fill the space, and then there shall be sure to be a bearing upon them by the diagonal tie-brace.

IVhen the fence is to be set the support is placed vertically with one diagonal brace, F, laid back over the other one, F, whose lower end is fastened to the foundation-bar. The rails are then placed one on top of the other, with their ends lapping between the vertical posts D D, as shown, until the space is filled. Then two rails are laid with their ends side by side on top of the cross-bars E E. Diagonal tie-brace F is brought over and down to the foundation-bar, where it is bolted or otherwise secured. On each side of the fence the diagonal braces pass between the ends of the cross-bars E.

I am aware that a portable picket-fence has heretofore been constructed wherein the stringers have been cut to form a lap-joint andthe lapped portions of the stringers beveled, so as to fit into and rest within beveled recesses near the top of two diagonal supports, secured at their apex by a wire or other loop; but in such construction the lapjoint is no larger in cross-section than the body of one of the stringers, and a special fitting is required for the stringers in the diagonal supports, and therefore would not meet the requirements for utilizing ordinary split rails, there being great irregularity in their shape.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a portable rail-fence, a series of rails the ends of which are arranged vertically over each other and a pair of rails the ends of which are arranged side by side, in combination with the foundation-bar A, two vertical posts, D, having their upper ends secured between two short cross-bars, E, provided over for fastening to the foundation-bar, as dewith beveled projecting ends, forming sockscribed. ets to receive diagonal braces, and the diagonal tie-braces F F, secured together at their 5 upper ends, as shown, by 100p n, so that Attest:

brace F can be laid over on brace F While A. A. EVANS, the rails are being placed, and then brought J NO. L. OONDRON T. W. OWENS. 

